Regrets
by TonysSilverFox
Summary: Gibbs lashes out at a pregnant Tony. Is this the end of their relationship or will Gibbs regret his actions and make amends? MPREG, SLASH story! Gibbs/Tony pairing, if that is not your thing, please move along.


**Regrets**

By

**TonysSilverFox**

**DISCLAIMER: However much I wish it was so, I do not own these characters, nor am I profiting from them. I'm going to simply let them play for a little bit and then put them back a little happier.**

**Just a few notes: This is set in the first televised season of the show. If you recall, it has been mentioned several times that Tony worked with Gibbs for two years before we first saw them in Ice Queen on JAG. In my universe, they got together almost immediately after the events in Baltimore and are now in a committed relationship for the last two, almost three years. In this world, male pregnancy is normal and accepted. This is not set during or around any specific episode, but just after the close of a case. They have a three person team: Gibbs, DiNozzo and Kate, no McGee yet. This idea popped into my head and would not let go until I got it down. This is a one shot story. After this story released its hold, I was able to get back to Just Once, a new chapter in that story will be posted soon. Thanks! ;-)**

**WARNING: SLASH story and MPREG! You have been warned!**

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Tony sat stunned at his desk. He wasn't the only one. Kate had been sitting at her own desk, finishing up her report on their latest case, when Gibbs had unleashed his tirade at Tony that ended with Gibbs snarling _"If you can't follow a simple order, you need to find yourself another job!"_ before he stalked out of the bullpen and disappeared into the elevator.

"What the hell was that!" Kate exclaimed as she stood up to walk over to Tony's desk. She was extra protective of Tony lately, ever since he and Gibbs had told her that Tony was pregnant. He was only about four and a half months along and barely showing, but Kate had observed many changes in her work partner.

Tony seemed settled and supremely content. His nervous fidgeting had all but disappeared and he had seemed to discard all the masks he normally employed to keep everyone but Gibbs at arms length. Kate had gotten to see the 'real' Tony DiNozzo and she very much liked the man she had come to know.

Kate watched with concern as all the confidence and contentment Tony had built up over these past few weeks crumble in the wake of Gibbs' unwarranted attack.

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Initially, she had not seen what Gibbs, Abby and Ducky saw in Tony when she had first joined the agency. She thought him childish and immature and in constant need of approval from Gibbs, almost like a puppy. After the third time she had expressed her frustration at his behavior to Abby, she had been surprised when Abby had whirled around and pinned her with a glare worthy of Gibbs.

"_Some profiler you are! If that's all you see of Tony, maybe you should ask for your money back on those courses you took to become an 'expert' at reading people, because you really suck at it!" _After delivering her rebuke, Abby had turned back to her work and ignored Kate. She had also ignored Kate, unless it had to do with a case, for the next week.

Kate had used that time well. Looking into Tony's background and qualifications, she had been blown away. Tony had a PHD in psychology! That had explained a lot. Over that week Kate had sat back and really observed Tony. She was amazed at the level of deception he undertook on a daily basis. Given his horrific childhood, she understood completely his need to protect himself. She also started to recognize his many forms of deflection. The signs were all there if you were interested enough to really look.

He counted on a person's innate ability to only see what they wanted to see and used that to his advantage. She realized as she watched him that week that most people underestimated Tony DiNozzo. They thought him vain and self absorbed when nothing could be further from the truth. He projected just the right amount of preening to distract anyone trying to get a read on him, colleagues and criminals alike, and she was ashamed that she had fallen into that trap. She should know better than to take _anyone_ at face value!

She also started to see the incredible depth of compassion and sense of justice that was always there, just below the surface. She watched Tony coax details out of a distraught victim with a soft voice when no one else could and she saw him box a suspect into a corner in interrogation, that they had no way of getting out of, with his deceptively low-key, razor sharp intelligence.

She drank in every small nuance of his personality and discovered an intelligent, caring human being that you crossed at your own peril. She noticed that he was happy to allow some co-workers to believe that his frat boy persona was all there was to him, and she saw the lengths he would go to help out those who were smart enough to see beyond his mask. Tony DiNozzo was probably the best friend you could ever want to have, but there was no place on Earth to hide if you had committed a crime and he was searching for justice for a victim.

Her observations had a surprising side effect: she discovered Gibbs was not what he appeared to be either and that he and Tony were a couple! Looking back she didn't know how she had missed the sly looks they gave each other or their almost telepathic communication. She had originally thought that it was from their working together for a few years, but she quickly discarded that theory when she started to notice the little smirks of amusement from Gibbs when Tony was needling someone. That and the kiss they shared on the stairs coming up from the basement she had accidentally seen. Thinking about it later, she realized they had most likely let her see that kiss. Both men were too careful to allow her to 'accidentally' catch them at anything.

After her week of enlightenment, she had sat down with Abby again and apologized for being such a blind fool while Abby wore a knowing grin. Abby had hugged her tightly and told her she knew that Kate could figure it out and she was proud of her. Before she could form a response, Tony, Gibbs and Ducky had come into the lab, all sporting grins and congratulating her on her evolution. Gibbs had worn a smug smile as he chided Tony, saying that he had told him so, he had been right about Kate, while Tony smiled at him fondly and shook his head. Kate had stood up and apologized to Tony for thinking less of him and he had also hugged her and graciously accepted her apology while everyone else smiled on.

Their team had jelled from that moment on. Tony and Kate became close siblings and she and Abby became best friends. Everything went smoothly and they all knew the others had their back, so Gibbs' attack on Tony was surprising and Kate could see, quite damaging to Tony. Gibbs had never spoken to Tony like that on the floor in front of Kate and Kate was pretty sure he never had in private either. They didn't seem to have that type of relationship. She had never gotten a fearful vibe from Tony concerning Gibbs. On the contrary, Tony never seemed to take Gibbs' bad moods seriously and didn't seem afraid of him in the least.

The Gibbs from today, however, looked as though he had shattered his relationship with Tony, maybe beyond repair, and he didn't really seem to care.

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As the shock of the surprise attack from Gibbs wore off, Gibbs' words started to sink in: _"If you can't follow a simple order, you need to find yourself another job!"_

Tony was hurt by those words and then he was angry at himself for thinking this would be any different. Jethro had initially seemed happy when they had discovered that Tony was pregnant, but he had pulled back in the last few weeks. He spent a lot more time in his basement and Tony had spent more than a few nights alone in their bed.

A million thoughts raced through his mind as he sat numbly at his desk, staring into space. He was aware that Kate was nearby and worried, but he couldn't muster up the strength to reassure her, he was too worried about what he was going to do now. It was pretty clear that after consideration, Jethro wanted no part of this pregnancy or him. Tony knew that Jethro had lost his wife and child years ago and he had even told Tony that one of his ex-wives wanting a baby had been the catalyst to their divorce. Tony berated himself for even thinking that Jethro would be okay with this. He must feel that Tony trapped him and Gibbs was pissed.

The gist of Gibbs' public chewing out of Tony was that Tony and Kate had ended up apprehending their suspect after getting additional information from the witness they had gone to interview. Tony had called to inform Gibbs of what they had learned and where they were going, but Gibbs had ordered him to wait until he arrived to assist them. Their suspect had chosen that moment to cross the street in front of their car and Tony had apprehended him as he was waiting to cross another street. There had not been a foot chase, a scuffle, not even a resisting arrest, the man had come along quietly, but Gibbs had been livid when they had arrived back at the Yard.

Tony had thought Gibbs was just being overprotective, but his tone of voice and cutting words just now erased that notion quickly. Tony had gotten the message loud and clear: Jethro wanted out.

Tony tried to hide the hurt and betrayal he felt from someone he thought he could trust, but being pregnant, he was unable to. He felt a tear tracking down his cheek as Kate knelt down next to his desk and rubbed circles on his back while telling him Gibbs didn't mean it. He took a few deep breaths to calm a little before he could reply.

"Yes, he did. I should've known it was too good to be true. He hasn't been all that thrilled about this," Tony rubbed his stomach to indicate their child before continuing, "and he's been distancing himself for awhile now at home. I should have been more careful, I knew he wasn't big on kids, but I had to go and ruin everything."

Kate was shocked at his words. "I really thought he was thrilled about this! He sure seemed like the proud papa bear when you guys told us, what changed?"

"Nothing changed Katie. I kind of pushed him to tell everyone the day after I had told him, he hadn't processed it yet. What you saw today was how he really feels about it and he made it pretty clear what he wants to do about it." Tony told her sadly.

Tony quickly logged onto the HR website and was granted two weeks off, he had more than enough time and they were happy to approve it. He thought that would give him enough time to find another place to live and another job. He almost started sobbing at the thought of leaving NCIS, he so loved working here and he would miss his friends, but he was the interloper. Gibbs had been here first, so he was the one who would be staying. Tony printed off his report and then packed his few personal items from his desk into his backpack. He then pulled out a locked box from his bottom desk drawer. He took the key to the box off of his keychain and gave it and the box to Kate.

"Give these to Gibbs when he comes back Kate. Don't let him throw them away please, he earned them." Tony asked her with a quavering voice.

"Tony, please don't do anything rash. You two really need to talk before any permanent choices are made!" Kate pleaded with him.

Tony managed a small smile as he told her, "I'm keeping the baby Kate, but it's pretty clear Jethro will not be a part of our lives." He leaned over and kissed her cheek before getting to his feet and hoisting his backpack on his shoulder.

"Stay safe Katie, and watch his six. The stubborn bastard doesn't know his limits." Tony told her, and it broke her heart to see the pain in Tony's eyes.

Kate quickly stood and pulled Tony into a hug before saying, "Come stay at my place until you find something else, there's plenty of room and I won't worry about you if I can see you're safe."

Tony started to refuse, but his broken spirit needed nurturing, so he asked "Are you sure, I was going to find a hotel…"

"I'm sure." Kate stated emphatically and rushed over to her desk to retrieve her spare house keys. "This key opens the deadbolt and the door lock, don't worry about cooking, I'll bring something home to eat. Just relax when you get there."

Tony felt tears threatening again as he held the key to Kate's condo, so he was grateful she pulled him into another tight hug and told him to "Go on, get going. I'll be home soon."

Tony sniffed back his tears and nodded yes before slowly trudging over to the stairs to take him down to the garage and his car. He took one last look at the bullpen before disappearing through the door.

Kate had seen the longing look on Tony's face as he had looked back one last time, and while her heart was breaking over his pain, her fury was growing at the insensitive way Gibbs had dumped him. She placed the box with the medals under her desk and sent an email to Abby and Ducky relaying what had occurred.

She got a grim satisfaction at the outrage pouring from her computer from Abby and Ducky and assured them she would take good care of Tony and they were welcome to visit him at her house at any time. She hoped to witness her friends' roasting of Gibbs when they got him cornered, but for now, she went back to furiously typing her report and letting her anger simmer until Gibbs showed up again.

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was beyond pissed.

_What the hell was Tony thinking, risking himself and their child like that!_

After letting Tony know just how stupid he thought that stunt was, he hopped on the elevator to replenish his coffee and cool down. He nearly punched the wall of the elevator, but stopped himself. He didn't want the team sidelined because he couldn't control his temper.

However, the more he thought of the arrest Tony had made and what could have happened, the more pissed he got. His anger propelled him out of the elevator and parted the way for anyone unlucky enough to run into him as he all but ran out of the building.

He stewed for the entire four blocks to his favorite coffee shop and he stewed the entire brisk walk back. He detoured to the little park along the river and found a bench where he could finish his coffee and calm himself.

What if the guy had run? Tony would have chased and probably tackled him to catch him. What if he had fought? What if he had punched Tony in the stomach? He knew from years investigating domestic violence cases that it didn't take much to cause a spontaneous abortion.

But it _didn't_ happen.

The guy had given up right away and they brought him in quietly - this time. What about the next time? He was going to make sure that didn't happen. If Tony or their baby had been injured, it would have been all Jethro's fault. He never should have sent Tony out in the field in the first place.

How many times had a simple interview gone to hell and someone had gotten hurt? Jethro sighed deeply and ran his hand down over his face in frustration. Tony was only doing what came naturally, he was doing his job well. Now it was Jethro's turn to do _his_ job well - Tony was off field duty until after the baby came and he was back from maternity leave.

Gibbs stood and threw the empty coffee cup in the trashcan next to the bench. He then strode purposefully back to the office. Tony would be pissed Jethro was benching him, but Jethro wasn't going to take any chances with Tony or their child. He would keep them safe at all costs.

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Jethro's gut started churning as he re-entered the building and rode the elevator up to the third floor. He was now regretting some of the things he had said to Tony and the way he had delivered it. He should have waited until they got home, but he had masked his fear with anger and lashed out. He knew he had some groveling in his future, but right now he just wanted to see Tony safe at his desk, even if he was pissed at him.

So, the sight of Tony's dark desk and no sign of the man himself nearly sent him off into a panic attack when he stepped off the elevator. He strode over to Kate's desk and stood in front of it while gruffly asking, "Where's DiNozzo?"

"He finished his report and left." came Kate's clipped reply without looking up from the report she was angrily typing out.

"You have a problem, Agent Todd?" Gibbs asked her sharply.

Kate finally looked up and Jethro was surprised at the venom emanating from her. "Not at all, SIR!" Kate's reply was dripping with sarcasm, and after answering, she lowered her head again and effectively ignored him.

Gibbs grunted a reply and noisily sat back down at his desk. Okay, maybe he deserved that. Kate was pissed at the way he had treated Tony. A small smile quirked his mouth as he thought of how proud he was of her for standing up to him and on Tony's behalf. He sighed as he thought of all the dinner's and foot rubs he owed Tony for his outburst.

_Oh well, he'll get over it. _Jethro thought as he got down to his own reports so he could leave and talk to Tony.

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Tony drove to Gibbs' house on autopilot. He still couldn't believe it had all fallen apart so fast. As recently as lunchtime, he was deliriously happy and carrying the child of the man he loved.

While he still carried their child, and there was no doubt he still loved Jethro, even after everything that had happened, he now knew that love was one-sided and they were no longer welcome in Jethro's life.

He felt his chest tighten as a sob worked to escape his body. He ruthlessly stomped it out and tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he parked in the driveway of Gibbs' house. He sat and forlornly looked up at the house he had come to know as his home. This time he couldn't stop it and he felt the tears running down his face as his breathing hitched.

He had never felt safer or happier as he had when he had been living here. This was the only place that had ever felt like a home in his entire life and he would miss it dearly. Of course, the person who made it a home for him no longer wanted him here, so he guessed it didn't matter anymore. Tony wiped his tears with the sleeve of his jacket and forced himself out of the car and into the house to gather what he could before Jethro came home.

About thirty minutes later, Tony had his clothes packed and a few precious mementos he didn't want to lose. He had carefully wrapped the shell picture frame that held a photo of him and Jethro smiling at the camera during their vacation on Virginia Beach. They had looked so happy together. Tony mentally kicked himself again for messing up the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He rubbed his stomach protectively as he packed away all the other photos in the house of him and Jethro. He doubted Jethro would want a reminder of their time together, but he wanted to show their baby, when it was old enough, how much their parents had loved each other. He wanted their child to know that even though Papa wasn't in their lives, that they had been conceived in love. Tony was determined his child would have a better life than he had and they would know how much they were loved.

His tears ran freely as he closed the last suitcase and lugged it down to his car. Tony walked back inside and looked around one last time before taking his key off of the keychain and placing it on the kitchen counter next to a note telling Jethro he would have a moving company collect the rest of his things in the next few days. Tony left the house with his head down, staring at the ground, he didn't have the energy or inclination to even look up.

He drove the five miles to Kate's condo and let himself in, bringing his things inside to the guest room. He got as far as opening his suitcase before he spied the picture of him and Jethro in the shell frame again. He picked up the picture and traced Jethro's face, feeling a spike of grief as he realized all that he had lost today. He lay down on the bed and curled into a ball, clutching the picture to his chest as he cried out all the grief and loss over a family that he would never have. He didn't know that he had cried for nearly an hour before falling into an exhausted sleep, still holding their picture close to his breaking heart.

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Nearly two hours after Jethro had come back from his coffee break, Kate slapped her report down on his desk along with a box he knew well. He stared at the box for a few seconds before raising his head to meet Kate's pissed off gaze with a growing feeling of dread.

"He asked me to make sure you didn't throw these away, he thought you deserved them, I'd have to disagree. No one as cold-hearted as you could have done these things. It must have been a case of wrong place, right time." she hissed at him sarcastically. Kate turned on her heel and stalked back to her desk where she was gathering her things to leave.

Jethro was out of his seat and over by her desk before she had a chance to leave asking, "Where's Tony?" in an urgent tone of voice.

Kate was surprised to see the panic in Gibbs' eyes as he stood before her. _Hmm, maybe it's not as bad as Tony believes, he really seems worried!_ Kate thought to herself before answering, "Don't know and I didn't think you would care. I just know he's gone and probably not coming back."

"What! What did he say, what happened?" Jethro asked her frantically.

"What happened?" Kate asked incredulously. "You were there, don't you remember what you said?"

Kate watched as Gibbs ran his comments back through his mind and saw, with satisfaction, the horror blossom on his face. _The idiot really didn't know what he had said and what kind of impact it would have! _Gibbs ran back to his desk, grabbing his coat, badge and gun before sprinting out the door. Kate knew that Tony would have packed up and be over at her place by now, and that would cause Gibbs to be even more frantic.

_Good!_ Kate thought to herself. _Serves him right! _

Kate walked over to Gibbs' desk and picked up the box of medals again, to lock them back into her desk. Now that she knew Tony would be taking them back, she wanted them kept safe for him. She walked down to Abby's lab where she found Abby and Ducky discussing the Tony/Gibbs situation in depth. She relayed what had happened a few minutes ago and they all agreed that Jethro had engaged his mouth before his brain and he was seriously regretting his actions. They also agreed to keep Gibbs in the dark tonight about Tony's whereabouts. They thought Gibbs was owed at least one sleepless, miserable night for the hell he had put Tony through. They all left feeling a little better about the situation than they had a little while ago.

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Gibbs broke his own speed records in his haste to get home. His gut churning madly as he berated himself the entire way, frequently pounding on the steering wheel in his self-loathing. He screeched to a stop in front of the house and ran inside, noting the door was unlocked - not a good sign.

He sprinted up the stairs and came to an abrupt halt inside their bedroom door when he saw the empty side of the closet and the open drawers on the dresser that were now devoid of Tony's things. He took a close look around the room and saw that every photo of them together was gone.

Jethro's chest tightened in fear as he ran back downstairs and searched for any sign of Tony. The only things left were his TV, movies, some furniture and his mother's piano in the den. All their photos were gone from down here too. He was a little less frantic when he found the piano, TV and Tony's movie collection still here, but that hopeful feeling vanished when he found Tony's house key and note on the kitchen counter.

He felt a cold vise around his heart as he realized what he had done.

He called Abby and Ducky, hoping that Tony was with either of them and finding a dead end and a chilly reception from them both, started calling all the hotels and motels in the city looking for him. Three hours later, he had called the last place and had not yet found his Tony.

Fear gripped him as he contemplated all the terrible things that could happen to Tony. Was he sleeping in his car? Has he packed up and left the state? Would he ever see the man he loved more than anything in the world again? Would he ever meet their child? Did he even have a right to after the way he had treated Tony?

All these thoughts and fears overwhelmed Jethro and he sat down on the floor of their bedroom and cried as hard as he had when he had lost his girls. What a fool! What had he done?

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Kate had come home to find Tony curled up on the guest bed, after obviously crying himself to sleep. That sight hardened Kate's resolve. Her initial plan to cause Jethro a sleepless, miserable night had weakened on her ride home. She had seen the panic in Gibbs' eyes when he realized what he had done to Tony, and her compassion had taken over. She had intended to talk to Tony when she got home, explain what had happened and urge him to call or go home so the two men could talk it out.

Seeing the abject misery written on Tony's face, even in sleep, had convinced her to go with the original plan. Gibbs deserved at least one night of pain for being so thoughtless towards the man he loved and his unborn child! She was still going to tell Tony what happened, but she was going to urge him to stay here and let Jethro worry for tonight. She didn't know if he would go for that, but it was worth a try.

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Tony awoke from a dreamless sleep with the urgent need to pee. He groaned as he stretched his long limbs out as he prepared to get up. As he was sitting up with his legs over the side of the bed, he noticed the picture frame still clutched in his left hand. The enormity of what had happened and the uncertainty of his future crashed back down on him. His frayed emotions caused another wave of grief to take over and, conspiring with his pregnancy hormones, reduced him to a sobbing mess in a few seconds.

He got up when his bladder protested his inactivity strenuously and made his way into the small attached bathroom. When he had relieved himself, crying the entire time, he closed the lid on the commode and slumped down on the seat, continuing his crying jag. A few minutes later he got himself somewhat under control and stood to wash-up. He was not surprised at the red, puffy eyes and blotchy skin that greeted him in the mirror.

He had been surprised though that he had so many tears left after the marathon cry he had right after getting here. He was going to tell himself to suck it up and get on with it when he angrily tamped that notion down. Maybe it was the hormones, but he would not allow himself to push his feelings and emotions down this time. Hell, he had lost his entire life in a matter of hours: His lover, his home and his job! He knew bottling up those strong emotions would not be good for him or the baby, so he refused to do it. He was sure Kate would understand.

Thinking of Kate, he checked his watch and discovered he had slept about three hours. His stomach, upon learning that news, growled hungrily at him and he rubbed his belly, feeling the small bump that was their child getting bigger everyday.

"Okay peanut, I hear you, I'm going to find us something to eat." He told his unborn child as his stomach again growled in response.

He quirked a small smile thinking that so far, this little one took after him and his appetite. He wondered if the baby would have Jethro's beautiful blue eyes and before that thought degenerated in another round of tears, he washed his face and made his way out to the kitchen in search of food.

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Kate had heard Tony moving around in the guest room and had also heard his sobs before he had shut himself into the small attached bathroom. The sound of his heartbreak sent a fresh stab of anger through her, directed at their clueless boss. She had been thinking over Gibbs' outburst that started all this and had come to the conclusion that he had been scared by Tony apprehending their suspect, and even though nothing bad had happened, he had still felt the need to voice that fear in the form of his misplaced anger.

She really wanted to talk to Tony and tell him how upset Gibbs had been when he found out Tony was gone. She could only imagine the hell the older man was going through now, not being able to find Tony. She had received texts from both Abby and Ducky recounting Gibbs' frantic calls to them and smirked at the anguish it was causing him.

_That'll teach him to think before he speaks the next time!_ She thought with some satisfaction. Her smile quickly faded though as she thought of all the turmoil both men were currently going through. _Men! _She thought, shaking her head as she heated up a few slices of Tony's favorite pizza for him. _Why does everything need to be so difficult? _she mused.

If Gibbs had just pulled Tony into a conference room and told him how scared he was that Tony and the baby would be hurt during the apprehension they would both be home and a lot happier right now. But nooo, the big, bad Marine couldn't let his true feelings show and had to lash out, causing this mess!

It wasn't all Gibbs though, Kate thought as the microwave dinged. Tony had been convinced that Gibbs wanted him out of his life and wanted nothing to do with their child. She mulled that over as she arranged the pizza slices on the plate and popped a few more in to heat. He said Gibbs had been distancing himself at home. Was he reading too much into an innocent situation? She knew from watching her sister how much pregnancy hormones affected the thinking. Rachel had been convinced that Larry was having an affair and leaving her when she had caught him more than once whispering into the phone. She had a meltdown the last time she caught him and he had been forced to spoil her surprise baby shower he had been arranging with their mother.

Kate huffed out a breath, hoping the situation would be easily explained and her two favorite men would be back together this time tomorrow. She heard Tony coming out of the room and into the kitchen as she pulled the last few pieces of pizza from the microwave. She turned to face him and was shocked at the look of misery he wore and how wrung out he looked. He must have been crying ever since he got here!

She got a determined look on her face as she sternly told him, "Go sit on the couch, I'll bring in the food and then we need to talk."

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

Kate watched as Tony finished up the last of the pizza. He had gone through the four pieces she had heated up for him and an additional two more. When he finished wiping his mouth he downed the rest of the second glass of orange juice he had requested. She had been surprised when he had first said he wanted orange juice with his dinner, _orange juice with pizza! _she thought with a shudder, but he had insisted and had finished up two large glasses. She had shrugged, thinking that at least the OJ was good for him and the baby.

She smiled as she watched him lean back and rub his stomach as he said, "That was great Katie, the peanut and I thank you!"

"Not a problem." She replied with an amused snort. "Your child has strange tastes Tony, that OJ craving with pizza is one for the books!"

Tony huffed out a laugh as he replied, "Oh, that's not because of the peanut. That one comes from my college days. Our breakfasts at the house were frequently cold pizza and to give myself a little vitamin boost I'd drink the OJ with it. It's not bad, you should try it!" He told her sincerely.

"Thanks, I'll pass." Kate replied with a smile that quickly morphed into her serious expression. "Tony, I want you to tell me why you thought Gibbs was dumping you." She continued when she saw his hesitant look, "I'm not prying, it might help explain Gibbs' reaction after you left today." she assured him.

"He came back, huh?" Tony asked while keeping his eyes firmly on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Yes, he did." She informed him. "But first, tell me why you thought the two of you were through. Did he say anything or do anything at home to make you think that way?" She gently prodded.

Tony sighed deeply and lay his head on the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling as he started talking. "It was about a week after I told him, and you guys, that I was pregnant. He hasn't been spending a lot of time in the basement since we got together. We, uh, had better things to do." Tony's cheeks were tinged pink as Kate smirked at him, but did not say anything.

"Anyway, all of a sudden that's where he spends all his free time and he won't let me come down to even sit on the stairs to watch him anymore. He says the dust and damp are bad for the baby." Tony was absently rubbing his baby bump as he continued. "Then a few days after he started camping out in the basement, he stopped coming to bed. I'd yell down that I was going up to bed and he'd only answer okay and the next morning I'd see he had slept on the couch. It became pretty obvious he didn't want to be around us anymore, but he wasn't going to kick a pregnant man out on the street. I was hoping it was just him getting used to the idea, but he made his feelings pretty clear at work today." Tony finished with a defeated look on his face.

Kate was sifting through everything Tony had just said and she couldn't shake the feeling that this was all a case of missed communication and two pretty stubborn men not taking the time to talk things out. If she had learned anything from these two, it was to go with her gut feeling, and right now her gut was telling her that they would work it all out, it wasn't as bad as everyone thought. She took a deep breath and told Tony all that had happened when Gibbs had come back into work. She saw his eyes widen and she could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he processed the information. As an addendum, she told him the story of her sister's misinterpretation of facts when she had been pregnant and gently suggested that maybe he had read the situation wrong at home.

Tony gave her a tired smile as he said, "So, you think Jethro's planning a surprise shower for me and his plans are down in the basement and he didn't want to wake me when he finished late so he stayed on the couch?" He raised one eyebrow in a skeptical fashion while waiting for her response.

"You never know Tony!" She exclaimed while lightly slapping his shoulder. "Gibbs could be a closet party planner in his spare time." She added with a straight face.

Tony started to chuckle as he said, "Riight, I could _so _see that! Gibbs running around arranging flowers and presents like the guy in Father of The Bride - yeah, that's gonna happen!"

They both laughed at the mental image they both got from that and Kate was very happy to see Tony relaxing back on the couch.

He let out a long sigh as he said, "I'll admit my emotions have been out of control and I may be reading things into the situation that are not there, but I'm really not up to dealing with it tonight if he really wants us gone. Would you mind if he came over tomorrow and we talked privately here? I'm not going into work and this would be neutral territory." Tony asked her.

"Not at all! I was going to suggest sending him here after I got in tomorrow so you two could talk." She told him as she rubbed his shoulder.

Tony let out a breath he had been holding and he suddenly looked very tired. "If you don't mind, I'm going to turn in Kate. Just wake me before you leave so I can prepare myself and text me when he's on his way." He told her.

She patted his arm as she replied. "Of course, Tony. I'm turning in too, I think it's going to be a long day tomorrow."

His only reply was a rueful smile as he slowly got up and went back into the guest room, closing the door.

Kate sighed as she took the dishes into the kitchen and went to her own room. As she was falling asleep, she truly hoped her gut feeling was on target and their little family could get back to some sense of 'normal' again.

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

Gibbs was a mess.

He had cried himself to sleep, fully clothed on the bed, clutching Tony's pillow to his chest. He had awful dreams of seeing Tony, shot, stabbed or strangled by various criminals as he slept in his car. Each new horror his mind invented to torture him would wake him, screaming out Tony's name. It would always take a few minutes to clear his mind of the disorientation of the dream and then the reality of what he had done would replace that horror with another. This had happened too many times to count last night, and Gibbs knew no amount of coffee would help today.

He raced into work with the slim hope that Tony might show up and he could talk to him. His hopes were dashed when he stormed off the elevator to find Tony's desk as dark and empty as it had been last night. He walked over to it and stared down, noticing now, as he had not last night, that all of Tony's personal things were missing from the desk.

He felt the cold grip on his heart constrict further as he fought to not lose it right there in the middle of the bullpen. He was so lost in his own misery, he did not notice Kate walking over to stand next to him and he jumped a little when she placed a hand on his arm. He looked over into her face and she gasped at the depth of pain displayed there.

"Tony's at my house Gibbs." She quietly told him. "He wants to talk to you." She felt his body tense as he prepared to sprint out the door. She stopped him by gripping his arm tightly and forcing him to look into her serious, determined face as she added, "You have to actually talk to him, Gibbs, and if you don't say the right things they will both be gone and we may never see them again - don't mess this up!" She told him sternly.

He nodded once, acknowledging her advice and said, "Thanks, Kate." before he turned and fled the office, racing to get to Tony.

Kate had a knowing smirk on her face as she watched Gibbs run out, thinking, _Yup, they'll be fine."_

Kate walked back to her desk and texted Tony that Gibbs was on his way and she was requesting time off for him for the rest of the week. Tony texted back with a happy face and a thx. Kate smiled to herself as she filled out the required leave paperwork for Gibbs and submitted it to HR before going downstairs to appraise Abby and Ducky of the new developments. She knew Tony would text her or call after he and Gibbs talked, so all they had to do now was wait.

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

Tony took a deep breath to calm himself after receiving Kate's text telling him Gibbs was on his way. That meant he had about ten minutes to prepare himself. If Jethro was as distraught as she said he was, speed limits would not faze him.

He gently rubbed his stomach as he spoke to their child, saying "Your Papa better be careful driving peanut. We haven't come this far to lose him in a crash!"

He dropped his phone on the coffee table and leaned further back on the couch. He had unlocked the front door when he had finished dressing, anticipating Jethro's imminent arrival. His thoughts were in better working order this morning and he had mulled things over in his mind since he had gotten up. He had risen early enough to make breakfast for himself and Kate before she left and that had also helped to clear his head.

He loved cooking and he used it as his own therapy. He had thought over Kate's words from last night and found himself agreeing that he might have over-reacted to Jethro yesterday and over the past few weeks. Jethro had kept him out of the basement before when he was working on special projects he didn't want him to see and if he was planning some surprise for him, that's where he would keep everything. The only time Tony went down there was to sit on the steps and watch Jethro work, he had never rummaged around down there. Mainly because the last remnants of Jethro's life with Shannon and Kelly were stored down there and he didn't want to intrude.

So yes, he might have read the situation wrong.

Jethro was fiercely protective and he could now see things from Jethro's side. If the perp had run yesterday, he would have automatically taken off after him and things might have gone very bad from there. He had known a long time ago that Jethro reacted with anger when he was scared, so that might just explain yesterday.

He was still curious about what was going on in the basement, but he no longer thought that Jethro was just looking for an excuse to dump him. His pregnancy hormones had abated overnight and he was thinking much clearer today. That didn't mean he wasn't going to give Jethro a hard time though! They had established an equal partnership a long time ago and Tony didn't put up with the silent treatment. He was going to have to explain himself about the basement and the couch and he wanted an apology for the public ass chewing yesterday!

Unknown to Tony, his face had taken on an angry countenance and he had crossed his arms over his chest in another angry gesture as he thought of what he expected out of Jethro today. He let out an annoyed huff of breath and his face darkened further as he heard tires screeching outside and a slammed car door as steps rushed up to the front door.

He was a little surprised at the tentative knock on the door, he had expected loud pounding. Jethro must be trying to control himself. It didn't matter, Tony was loaded for bear as he called out a clipped, "Come in."

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

Gibbs sprinted to his car with only one goal in mind: getting to Tony and fixing the mess he had created as fast as possible.

He was oblivious to the car horns and screeching tires around him as he tore through the streets of Georgetown, trying to get to Tony as fast as he could. His sleep deprived mind was running in circles but the main things were to make sure Tony and the baby were safe and to get his family back.

He brought the car to a screeching halt outside of Kate's condo and was only peripherally aware of shutting off the car, slamming the car door and running up the front walk. Gibbs stopped short when he got to the front door. He was just about to start pounding on the door, demanding entry, when a rational part of his mind told him that would be a bad idea.

He remembered how touchy Shannon had been when she was pregnant with Kelly and after everything that happened yesterday, he didn't want to antagonize Tony further. He knocked in a reasonable manner and knew he had been correct when he heard a terse "Come in."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his frayed nerves and opened the door.

Tony was sitting on the couch with his arms crossed and looking pretty pissed. Jethro knew he had a lot of talking and groveling in his near future, but he was okay with that, he now had a chance to fix this. The sight of his Tony sitting there safe and healthy, even though he was pissed, loosened the vice grip around his heart. He was able to breathe a little easier as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

Jethro sat down on the chair next to the couch, close to Tony, and felt the tension easing in his body. He would apologize a thousand times if that's what Tony required. Now that his family was safe and was within arms reach, he had no intention of ever letting them go.

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

Tony was still pissed, but he had been shocked at Jethro's appearance when he came in the door. He looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep and what he did get was far from restful. He had dark circles under his eyes and his complexion was almost paper white. He looked like he was running on fumes, but Tony's heart melted when he visibly relaxed after first seeing Tony.

Tony was well aware of Jethro's over-developed protectiveness, so the past twelve hours must have been a living hell for him, not knowing where Tony was or if he was safe. Tony's resolve to put Jethro through the ringer for what he had done crumbled when he saw the relief on Jethro's face. He knew him well enough to know how much it meant to the older man to find him safe and he also knew Jethro would jump through any hoop he presented to make them okay again.

Any lingering doubts he had about whether Jethro really wanted him and the baby were dispelled with Jethro's first words to him.

"Are…are you both okay?" Jethro asked him in a raspy voice and Tony relaxed fully into the couch, knowing everything would work out.

Tony let his arms drop to his stomach as he nodded and replied, "Yeah. We're both alright, but you have to explain a few things first."

Jethro nodded enthusiastically as he answered, "Anything."

"First off, what the hell have you been doing in the basement for the past few weeks and why are you staying away from our bed?" Tony asked while pinning him with an intense stare.

Jethro was apparently not expecting this line of questioning, so he looked momentarily confused. Tony saw his brain kick into gear and could almost see the light bulb go on over his head.

"I was making you and the baby something and I wanted it to be a surprise." Jethro told him.

"Okay, I could see that, but what about you avoiding me and sleeping on the couch?" Tony quizzed him and this time there was genuine puzzlement on his face as Jethro answered, "Well, you weren't feeling well with the morning sickness and you told me the motion of me getting into and out of the bed was making it worse. I thought I was helping."

Tony rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. Yes, he had said that to Jethro after a particularly nasty spell in the bathroom. Jethro had gotten on the bed behind him to rub his shoulders and Tony had snapped at him about making the bed move too much.

Tony leaned back and stated ruefully, "So, you started your little secret project to stay busy and let me rest."

"Well, yeah." Jethro replied, leaning forward to place a hand on Tony's knee. "You were so tired when the nausea kept waking you, that when it started to pass, I wanted you to rest, so I bunked on the couch."

Tony moved his hand over to cover Jethro's, resting on his knee, as he said quietly, "So you really do want this baby?"

Jethro jerked back as if he had been slapped as he exclaimed, "What!" Jethro stood abruptly and then dropped to his knees in front of Tony as he said, "Why would you ever think I didn't want the baby!? I was over the moon when you told me, I couldn't be happier about it!"

Tony's heart melted when he saw the truth of Jethro's words written on the older man's face as he replied with a little hitch in his voice, "Well, you told me the reason you divorced Stephanie was because she wanted a baby, so I thought…" his voice trailed off as a few tears escaped his eyes.

Jethro had his hands splayed out, covering Tony's baby bump and Tony relaxed as he heard Jethro's rumbling voice answer, "That was because it was Stephanie! I didn't want a child with her, plus I would never inflict her on an innocent baby! I knew it was only a passing fad for her, she's never serious about anything. When it got to be too real, she would have bailed. That's when I knew I couldn't be married to her any longer. YOU are only the second person in this world I ever wanted to have a family with, and you will certainly be the last!" Jethro told him emphatically as he stood up and sat close to Tony, pulling him into his arms.

Tony sighed and snuggled deeper into Jethro's arms. He was safe and warm and very happy at this moment. He knew Jethro was soaking up their closeness too when Tony felt him relax beneath him. However, there was still one more thing…

Tony pushed himself up to a sitting position and gave Jethro a stern look as he said, "I know you were scared yesterday when I arrested that perp and looking back, you were right. I should not have done that, we should have just followed him until you got there, but instinct took over. I thought a lot about it this morning and realized how much could have gone wrong. We might not have the peanut today if he had decided to fight back, so I'm sorry for the risk I took." Tony told him sincerely and Tony noted Jethro's eyes were a little misty as he again thought of all that might have happened.

"BUT, what you said to me in the bullpen yesterday cut me to the quick! You could have dragged me to a conference room to let me have it, but you made a point to embarrass me on the floor. You do something like that again Gibbs, I'm filing a complaint with HR! Do you understand me?" Tony told him forcefully and he noted that Jethro winced when he had called him Gibbs.

"You're Gibbs right now because at this moment you're talking to Agent DiNozzo. This is purely professional. Do we understand each other Agent Gibbs?" Tony asked the older man again.

Tony saw Jethro square his shoulders as he replied, "We do. I can't say I won't get mad again, but call me on it right there, I deserve it."

Tony considered a few seconds before nodding his head yes and saying, "Okay then, we're good." before he snuggled back into Jethro's arms.

He smiled against Jethro's strong chest before taking a whiff of his shirt and sitting back up.

"Okay buddy, you need a shower and I'll throw your clothes in to wash while you do that. Have you eaten at all?" Tony asked with a pointed look.

"Yeah, a shower sounds good and no, I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday." Jethro replied sheepishly as Tony pulled him upright next to the couch and kissed his cheek.

"Use the bathroom in the guest suite, all my stuff is in there and you can use a pair of my boxers and a tee until your stuff is clean." Tony shooed him out of the room as he went to the kitchen to fix Jethro a sandwich. Tony made the sandwich and grabbed a bottle of water before detouring into the living room to pick up his phone. He sent a quick text to Kate telling her all was forgiven and that they would be moving his stuff back home as soon as Jethro ate and rested a bit. He left out the part about Jethro smelling like a barnyard, there had to be a little mystery in the world.

Kate texted back as he was starting the washer that she and Abby and Ducky were thrilled with the outcome and to enjoy their time off. Tony cocked his head to the side as he contemplated that. He had forgotten they both had time off. Hmm, maybe they could finally get the nursery finished up. Tony walked back into the guest room, thinking about colors and stuffed animals to find Jethro in a pair of his boxers, sitting on the bed eating the sandwich Tony had made him.

Tony quirked a smile at Jethro's hair that was sticking up in all directions and the fact he was practically asleep as he ate his sandwich. Tony pushed off from the doorjamb and took the now empty plate and placed it on the nightstand.

"Lay down, Jethro. You need to sleep for a few hours before we take my stuff back home." Tony told him as he pulled back the covers on the bed. He pushed a boneless Jethro down and covered him back up. He placed a soft kiss on the older man's temple and was just standing up to go back to the kitchen when Jethro's hand shot out and gripped his arm. Tony was surprised to see Jethro's eyes wide open and focused sharply on him as he quietly said, "Stay, please."

Tony smiled fondly down at the man he loved and said, "Scoot over then."

Jethro smiled back as he moved over and made room on the bed. Tony snuggled down under the covers and started running his fingers through Jethro's hair. Jethro had moved over as close to Tony as he could get, laying his head on Tony's chest as he caressed the baby bump and softly kissed the warm skin beneath his cheek. Both men drifted off, very content to be in each others arms again, safe and warm.

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

Tony awoke to the feel of soft kisses on his baby bump. He cracked open an eye to see Jethro straddling his thigh and talking quietly to their child.

"I'm sorry I upset your Daddy yesterday, Pumpkin. I'll try not to do it again, but sometimes Papa's mouth starts working before his brain and he says something stupid." Jethro emphasized his point with another kiss to Tony's bump before he continued. "Don't ever think I don't love you and your Daddy though, you both mean the world to me and I will always do my best to keep you both safe." He placed another kiss on the bump before moving up slightly to again lay his head on Tony's chest as he continued to stroke Tony's belly.

Tony felt a sleepy smile break over his face as Jethro sighed contentedly and snuggled closer, his arms encircling Tony protectively. Jethro raised his voice slightly before saying, "I'm really sorry, Tony. I'll do better, I love you both so much."

Tony's smile turned into a smirk. _"Of course Jethro knew I was awake." _he thought before replying in a sleep-roughened voice, "I know you do, and I know you will." Tony yawned and stretched before starting to card his fingers through Jethro's silver strands, making the older man purr with pleasure and squirm against Tony's body. "I love you too, Jethro." he whispered, causing the older man to start rubbing his body harder against Tony's.

"Ummm." Tony closed his eyes as the pleasurable sensations washed over him. Jethro's movements were making his cock stir to life. It had been nearly a month since they had gotten intimate. Morning sickness is not attractive and Tony's body had been too sensitive to allow for more than some kissing and gentle caresses and not even that while Jethro had been staying on the couch. So, the feel of Jethro's hardness against his thigh was doing all sorts of wonderful things to him.

Tony turned his head to check out the clock on the nightstand and saw they still had about three hours before Kate was due home, so he let himself relax fully into Jethro explorations of his body. Jethro's hand had moved down slightly from his bump to grasp Tony's cock and start a slow, lazy jerking rhythm that had him fully aroused in a few strokes.

Jethro then moved his body lower and proceeded to swallow Tony's cock whole. Tony gasped when he felt the entire length engulfed in Jethro's hot mouth and then felt the older man swallow around him, causing exquisite suction. Tony moaned loudly and worked hard not to jerk his hips upward and gag Jethro.

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

Jethro smiled around the heavy cock in his mouth and appreciated Tony's efforts not to push too much. He was proud of himself, he had mastered his deep throat technique fairly early in their relationship, but sometimes the pressure in his throat still caused a momentary panic of suffocation, not today though. Today, a gun to his head would not be able to pull him off of Tony's cock. He couldn't get enough of the taste and feel of the man he so loved.

Jethro knew Tony was close when he felt Tony's balls pull up tighter against the younger man's body, so he backed off and worked his mouth around the head of his cock. Teasing the slit and underside, right below the ridge, with his tongue. He knew just what Tony liked and he was rewarded a few seconds later with a sharp cry of "JETHRO!" from somewhere above him as the first salty jets of Tony's cream filled his mouth.

He drank greedily as Tony writhed through his orgasm below him. He continued to suck out every last drop as Tony's movements slowed down and his moans become quieter. Jethro held Tony in his mouth until the younger man had again gone soft and he was certain he had licked every last drop from him, before allowing him to slip from his lips.

Jethro sat up and looked down at his love with a smug look on his face. He had caused that. That look of total abandon Tony wore. His hair was disheveled from him tossing his head back and forth on the pillow. His entire body was flushed and he had a light sheen of sweat all over him. His legs were spread wide and his boxers hung off one ankle, that was as far as Jethro had gotten them before passion took over.

As sexy and wanton as Tony looked, and Jethro's cock was definitely interested, one glance at the clock told him they better get moving to get out of here before Kate got home. Besides, he really wanted to take Tony in their own bed after all that had happened. That thought was enough to stand down his own cock as he leaned forward to kiss, first Tony's baby bump, and then his parted lips.

Tony deepened the kiss as he tasted himself on Jethro's tongue, and Jethro's traitorous cock twitched at the contact, but he was able to control it and break off their kiss by telling Tony, "I want you in our bed, not here."

Tony had moaned and wriggled his hips as his cock, impossibly, started to perk up again, but the younger man was able to control it and said, "I want that, let's get out of here!"

Both men were smiling goofily at each other for a few seconds before they stretched and got up. By mutual agreement, they stripped the bed and Jethro loaded the washer with the bed linens after tossing his clothes in the dryer as Tony showered. He stretched again and marveled at the feeling of calm that pervaded his body after only about four hours of sleep. The sleep had been healing though. Tony had been pressed tightly against him and he knew they were okay in their relationship and everyone was safe.

He gave himself a head slap, right there in the laundry room, and muttered "Dumbass!" before wandering out in Tony's boxers to down a bottle of water right there in the kitchen. His crying had dehydrated him and he drank another bottle while standing at the counter before snagging another two and heading back to the bedroom, fully intending to force liquids on Tony. He knew Tony's hormones had intensified the waterworks for him and he resisted the urge to give himself another head slap for his thoughtlessness.

Jethro entered the guestroom to find Tony already dressed in a soft pair of sweatpants and pulling the OSU hoody down over his head. That action had further messed up his already disheveled locks and Jethro leaned on the doorjamb watching his love fondly as he tried to tame his unruly hair. Tony had managed to get his coif into a passable style before he noticed Jethro standing in the door watching him.

"Don't give me that look, yours is no better!" he told the older man, noting Jethro's spiky hair.

Jethro pushed himself off the jamb and sauntered over to invade Tony's personal space and pull him tight against Jethro's body after tossing the bottles of water on the bed. He could feel their child nestled against his own stomach and both men were surprised when their little one made itself known by kicking both of them as they were pressed together.

They pulled apart and Jethro dropped to his knees in front of Tony, pushing up Tony's sweatshirt to expose his stomach and placing both of his hands on the small bump. They both laughed as their very active child kicked again, right under one of Jethro's splayed hands. Tony covered Jethro's hand with one of his own, while the other rested on Jethro's shoulder. Tony realized his vision was getting blurry as he watched Jethro turn his head and rest his cheek against his stomach with his eyes closed in bliss.

Tony laughed again as their baby socked Jethro in the head and Jethro pulled back to smile up at him with dancing eyes as he said, "I think I just got the baby version of a head slap!"

Tony laughed harder as Jethro kissed the area that was active and got another pop on the mouth.

"Well, I guess they told me!" Jethro quipped as he rubbed Tony's stomach and stood up to gently kiss Tony and wipe away some of his tears. "Our baby didn't like the way I behaved, and I'd have to agree, I was an ass."

"No arguments here, bucko." Tony replied before nuzzling his face into Jethro's neck and melting into the warmth from Jethro's body. Jethro held Tony tightly and rested his cheek on Tony's head. Their moment of bonding was interrupted by the dryer buzzing, telling them Jethro's clothes were done. Both men chuckled as they pulled apart and Tony told him, "Go take a shower and I'll bring in your things and put some food together for us."

Jethro complied after one last kiss and making sure Tony drank one of the bottles of water and a promise to drink the other one while Jethro showered. Tony was smiling as he retrieved Jethro's clothes and switched the bedding to the dryer. After leaving Jethro's things on the bed in the guestroom, Tony finished his second bottle of water and then made them some sandwiches. He then threw together a chef salad Kate could easily eat when she got home as a thank you for her support.

He was just sliding the dish with the salad into the fridge when Jethro came into the kitchen, fully dressed, and they sat at the table to eat. Tony told Jethro that Kate had put in for a weeks vacation for him and was surprised when the older man seemed pretty happy with the news. Jethro agreed that they could use the time to finish the nursery and after some discussion, they agreed upon a soft mint green for the room. They had previously agreed that they didn't want to know the sex of the baby, so green was a nice neutral way to go.

After cleaning up the kitchen, Jethro assisted Tony in making the bed again and in gathering up and re-packing the few things Tony had unpacked. Jethro then transported all of Tony's bags back out to Tony's car as both men took one last look around the condo to make sure they had everything. Tony made sure the handwritten thank you note he had left for Kate was visible, propped up against the microwave, before he closed and locked the door and followed Jethro down the front path. They shared another kiss before both men got into their respective cars and made their way back home.

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

Agent Kate Todd hummed to herself as she drove home. She had taken the long way to give Tony and Gibbs plenty of time to either vamoose from her condo or make themselves presentable. She was actually fine with either scenario. While it was good that they had made up, she kind of wanted to see them for herself, to make sure.

So, she was a little disappointed to not see either of their cars as she pulled up in front of her condo. She made her way inside and was pleased to see they had re-made the bed with fresh linens and everything Tony had brought with him was now gone, back to his own house.

She made her way into the kitchen and found Tony's note:

_Katie,_

_Thanks for taking me in and putting up with my out of control hormones. _

_Gibbs was very contrite and yes, he completed the proper amount of groveling! You were right, I misread the situation at home and that has all been straightened out too. We're going to finish the nursery during our time off. We're very lucky to have a friend like you. _

_I left you a salad in the fridge as a little extra thank you. See you next week!_

_Love, _

_Tony_

Kate was smiling as she finished reading the note and quickly got the salad out and a bottle of water before sitting down on the couch. As she finished up the dinner Tony had thoughtfully left her, she re-read his note and let out a deep sigh. She envied the relationship Tony and Gibbs had and hoped to have something just as strong someday. They perfectly complimented each other and worked so well together. She was very happy they had worked everything out and she was looking forward to being Auntie Kate in the near future. She propped Tony's note up on her dressing table and was still wearing a smile as she fell asleep that night.

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

Tony had a fond smile on his face as he sat on the couch and watched Jethro making trips back and forth from Tony's car, carrying in everything Tony had carried out, just yesterday. Jethro had insisted he sit and let him do everything, so here Tony sat, watching as his lover put everything to rights again. Jethro had not only brought everything in, he had unpacked and put everything away too.

Tony was still smiling as Jethro placed some of the pictures he had taken yesterday, back on the mantle, again in their proper places. Jethro turned around, wearing his own smile and holding out his hand. Tony took the offered hand and Jethro pulled him upright to stand next to him by the couch.

Jethro immediately enveloped Tony in a warm embrace that quickly turned sensuous as he nibbled at Tony's neck and cupped Tony's ass, pulling their groins tight against each other. Tony moaned at the contact and cupped the back of Jethro's head to hold him in place against his neck while his other hand squeezed Jethro's bicep.

After a few minutes of literal 'necking' Jethro pulled back and grabbed Tony's hand, leading him upstairs to their bedroom. Tony was pleased to see everything back where it belonged as Jethro again latched onto his neck and walked him backwards towards the bed. Jethro stopped just short of the edge of the bed so Tony did not fall back.

Jethro straightened and sat Tony down on the bed. He could see Tony's arousal through his loose sweatpants and ran his palm over the front of them making Tony buck up into his touch. Jethro smirked as he leaned down and thoroughly kissed Tony before backing up again and pulling Tony's OSU hoody up and off, tossing it on the chair in the corner.

Jethro took the time to tweak and suckle Tony's hardened nipples, making the younger man gasp at the sensations, before backing off again. Tony whimpered his protest at Jethro withdrawing but licked his lips in anticipation when Jethro moved over to the nightstand and retrieved a tube of lube before settling on the floor between Tony's legs, removing his shoes and socks.

"Oh, I like where this is going." Tony purred in a low voice.

"This is just the beginning." Jethro teased him as he grasped Tony's sweatpants and pulled them down and off in one motion, leaving a startled Tony naked on the bed.

Jethro sat back on his heels and just drank in the erotic sight of a naked Tony. Tony had spread his legs further after the shock of losing his pants so abruptly wore off and he was now stroking his cock lazily with one hand while the other tweaked one of his nipples. Tony only seemed to be gaining weight near the baby. He had only put on about three pounds and it seemed to be concentrated around his stomach.

Male pregnancies were significantly different from female ones in that respect. Women tended to gain over the entire body and took on a softer, more feminine appearance, whereas men only tended to gain in their stomachs, giving them more a look of having a beer belly than carrying a child. Many doctors believed that was natures way of protecting a pregnant male. Women looked vulnerable during pregnancy and incited a protective streak in males coming into contact with them. A pregnant male tended to look like less of a threat to other males and therefore less likely to be attacked. Surprisingly, they also incited that protective streak in females they came in contact with, which explained Kate and Abby's momma bear attitude towards Tony lately.

The only male with that fierce protectiveness towards a pregnant male is their mate and father of the child. Although you would be hard pressed to differentiate Jethro's normal protectiveness of Tony from that caused by the pregnancy. Papa bear was just who he was, and Tony would not have it any other way.

Tony licked his lips seductively and lowered his eyelids, looking at Jethro through his long lashes, knowing he was driving the older man wild with desire. He liked playing this game. It was so easy to wind Jethro up and he saw, by the large bulge in Jethro's pants that it was working. It had been a while since they had made love and he needed Jethro inside of him soon.

Tony trapped just the tip of his tongue in his teeth and moaned low while stroking his cock a little faster. His show had the desired effect when Jethro nearly tore his own clothes off and leaned forward to suckle on the tip of Tony's leaking cock while Tony continued to stroke it. Jethro's talented mouth on his cock again was nearly Tony's undoing, but he wanted to come with Jethro inside of him, so he forced his body to back off the orgasm by squeezing his cock at the base, firmly.

Jethro knew Tony could not hold on much longer, so he opened the tube of lube and coated his fingers before quickly working them inside of Tony. Even though it had been some time, Tony's body relaxed around the intrusion and Jethro had him stretched out in a few minutes. He knew Tony was ready when he started pushing down and fucking himself on Jethro's fingers. Jethro quickly withdrew them and coated his rock hard cock before standing and spreading Tony's legs further apart as he guided himself inside.

Their joining left both men breathless. Tony gasped as he felt Jethro entering him, it had been too long. Jethro had to struggle to get air back in his lungs when he felt Tony's hot, tightness gripping his cock, pulling him in. That was how it always was with them, it was never enough, they both always wanted more. After nearly three years together, they still could not get enough of each other.

Jethro panted as he pushed completely inside Tony and then pulled back out, only to quickly push back in again. Tony was gorgeous like this. He writhed beneath Jethro as the intense pleasure caused by Jethro's thrusts was quickly bringing him to the edge. He loved this. Loved the feel of Jethro's thick cock thrusting inside of him, taking him, owning him.

Jethro grew even harder at the sight presented before him: Tony, chest heaving as he writhed in pleasure, sweat glistening on his beautiful body, moaning sensuously with every thrust. Jethro shifted his position slightly to get better traction on the floor as he thrust even deeper and earning a loud moan from Tony.

Tony spread his legs even further and pulled them back towards his chest, knowing full well his favorite position would soon become impossible as their child grew. He loved being on his back with Jethro thrusting between his legs. He loved watching Jethro's face as his orgasm overtook him. Loved seeing the passion etched in the older man's face as they both worked to give the other as much pleasure as possible.

Jethro sped up his thrusts, feeling the end coming soon. Tony's tight heat and his sexy moans were unraveling him quickly. Three more deep thrusts and Tony screamed out his release. Long, thick ropes of come shooting out over his chest and rounded belly. Breath heaving as waves of pleasure crashed over him, his internal muscles squeezing the cock thrusting into him, pushing Jethro over the edge. The sight of Tony coming, the feel of his tight heat, snug and pulsing around his cock was too much for Jethro. He came with a loud roar, emptying himself deep inside of Tony's body.

Tony felt the warmth of Jethro's release blossom in his lower belly and it only enhanced the intensity of his own orgasm. Tony twitched through the little aftershocks racking his body and his mind floated detached on waves of bliss. He was only peripherally aware of Jethro extracting himself and brushing a kiss across his lips. Tony lay boneless on the bed, legs splayed open, one hand still clutching his cock, the other cupping his baby bump as his breathing slowed. Tony soon felt Jethro's gentle hands as he cleaned him up, quickly and efficiently.

Jethro maneuvered Tony under the covers and after switching off the lights, snuggled under the covers, spooned up behind Tony. Jethro's arm was snaked around Tony's waist, holding him tight against his body. Tony snuggled into Jethro's arms, feeling very safe, very loved and very happy. Jethro's hand was splayed protectively over Tony's bulging stomach and he kissed Tony's shoulder as he relaxed into sleep. His family was home safe and everything was good. He smiled as he was drifting off and felt a small kick under his hand. It seemed his Pumpkin was happy to be home too. Jethro drifted off thinking about the how to pop the question and put the ring, that had been hidden in his dresser for the past six months, to use. Both men had smiles on their faces as they slipped into a peaceful sleep, contented with each other, no regrets.

************NCIS********************NCIS********************

A/N: Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you thought. However, flames will be passed around to my friends for a good laugh. For some of my followers, a new chapter of Just Once will be posting very soon, and I might have a little Halloween treat too - thanks for reading ;-)

A/N Update: Just a little note to those who have reviewed that I am unable to respond directly to (Guests) - by popular demand, there will be more to this story, this little family seems to have a lot more to say. I'm still not sure if it will just be another one shot look at them, or something longer like Just Once. Also, I'm not sure how soon it will be, things are humming along on Just Once and I'd like to wrap that up before tackling another multi-chapter monster. So, fear not, you will be meeting Pumpkin/Peanut in the near future! Thanks for your wonderful feedback and support and keep your eyes peeled for the next story in the Regrets universe ;-)


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